Chch Mayor signals putting a Local Alcohol Policy on hold

Mayor Lianne Dalziel has
signalled the Council will be putting a Local Alcohol Policy
on hold.

At today's Council meeting, Councillors decided
not to accept a Hagley-Ferrymead Community Board request to
urgently progress adoption of a Local Alcohol Policy
(LAP).

Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the council was putting
the matter on hold.

The previous council had adopted a
provisional LAP after hearing about 4000 submissions on the
alcohol issue.

"There are a number of legal actions being
taken in other local authority areas, some of whose policies
contain the same or similar provisions.

"The last thing I
want to do is to use Council resources and bring in lawyers
to fight off challenges now being fought elsewhere.

"A
short standstill would enable the Council to absorb the
impact of those decisions before deciding how to proceed,"
said the Mayor.

Under the terms of the Sale
and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 the Council cannot change
the form of the provisional LAP. It can decide to notify the
LAP or it can discontinue or recommence the LAP development
process.

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